Port storage and distribution system for international shipping containers

Abstract

A port storage and distribution system for facilitating the transfer and/or storage of international shipping containers between container ships and ground transport carriers wherein an overhead grid guide track structure is provide that permits overhead transfer units to selectively engage and convey containers as required between the various ships, carriers and storage area without requiring multiple transfers of containers between different handling equipment. The system provides for container scanning and is either fully automated or partially manually controlled.

1. A port material handling and storage system for storing and transporting shipping containers wherein the system is used for loading and off loading shipping containers relative to ships berthed in an adjacent a docking facility, the system comprising, an overhead grid guide track structure consisting of hollow beams connected together in an X-Y configuration and having slots in the underside thereof which slots openly intersect with one another where said hollow beams intersect with one another, said hollow beams being connected to one another to form a plurality of first spaced parallel tracks extending in a first direction and a plurality of second spaced parallel tracks that extend in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the first direction, said overhead grid guide track structure including a first portion positioned over at least one storage area wherein shipping containers are vertically stacked one upon the other to thereby define a plurality of vertical storage cells, a second portion positioned over at least one ground transport area, and a third portion extending over a ship berth area, at least one transfer unit mounted so as to be moveable at least between said first and second portions of said grid guide track structure, said at least one transfer unit being suspended from at least two of said spaced and parallel first tracks when moving in the first direction and at least two of said spaced and parallel second tracks when moving in the second direction, said at least one transfer unit including carriage means for suspending said at least one transfer unit from said at least two first and second parallel tracks, said at least one transfer unit including selectively operable drive means for moving said at least one transfer unit along said first and second tracks in a horizontal plane in both X-Y motions within the plane, a container engaging means suspended from a hoist means carried by said at least one transfer unit for raising and lowering said container engaging means, and said container engaging means being of a size to cooperatively engage a shipping container whereby an engaged shipping container may be conveyed to a selected location beneath the overhead grid guide track structure. 
     
     
       2. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  wherein said first portion of said grid guide track structure includes a section that extends vertically over a transfer area where shipping containers are placed when being transferred to and from a ship within the berth area and the at least one storage area or the at least one ground transport area. 
     
     
       3. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 2  wherein said transfer area includes a transfer platform having at least a portion thereof oriented beneath said section of said first portion and a section of said third portion of said grid guide track structure for receiving containers from said at least one transfer unit moveable along said first and second portions of said grid guide track structure and containers from at least one additional transfer unit moveable along said third portion of the grid guide track structure. 
     
     
       4. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 3  including means for elevating said transfer platform above a ground surface. 
     
     
       5. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 2  including at least one electronic container scanner mounted below said grid guide track structure and positioned such that a container carried by said at least one transfer unit may be selectively aligned with said at least one electronic container scanner in order to examine the contents of the container. 
     
     
       6. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 2  including at least one electronic container scanner positioned between said third portion and said first portion of said grid guide track structure. 
     
     
       7. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 2  including at least one electronic container scanner positioned between said second portion of said grid guide track structure and the at least one ground transport area. 
     
     
       8. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  wherein said third portion is operatively connected to the first and second portions whereby said at least one transfer unit is maneuverable in an X-Y direction directly above a hold or other storage area for shipping containers on a ship and such that said at least one transfer unit may be used to transfer shipping containers to and from the at least one storage area or the at least one ground transport area and a ship within the berth area. 
     
     
       9. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 8  including at least one electronic container scanner mounted below said grid guide track structure and positioned such that a container carried by said at least one transfer unit may be selectively aligned with said at least one electronic container scanner in order to examine the contents of the container. 
     
     
       10. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 8  including at least one electronic container scanner positioned between the berth and said first portion of said grid guide track structure. 
     
     
       11. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 8  including at least one electronic container scanner positioned between said second portion of said grid guide track structure and the at least one ground transport area. 
     
     
       12. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  wherein said third portion is vertically spaced at a higher elevation than said first and second portions, at least one additional transfer unit maneuvered along said third portion directly above a hold or other storage area for shipping containers on a ship and such that the at least one additional transfer unit may be used to transfer shipping containers to and from a ship and a transfer area that is at least partially position beneath at least one of the first and second portion of said grid guide track structure and on which the shipping containers may be placed so as to be positioned to be engaged by said at least one transfer unit. 
     
     
       13. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 12  including at least one electronic container scanner mounted below said grid guide track structure and positioned such that a container carried by said at least one transfer unit or said at least one additional transfer unit may be selectively aligned with said at least one electronic container scanner in order to examine the contents of the container. 
     
     
       14. The port material and handling and storage system of  claim 1  in which said drive means includes first track engaging members for engaging said at least two first parallel and spaced tracks and at least one first drive motor for driving said first track engaging members, and said drive means further including second track engaging members for engaging said at least two second parallel and spaced tracks and at least one second drive motor for driving said second track engaging members. 
     
     
       15. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  including at least one operator platform mounted to said at least one transfer unit, said operator platform including control means for controlling said drive means and said winch means for controlling movement of said at least one transfer unit and for controlling movement of said container engaging means. 
     
     
       16. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  wherein said drive means includes at least one first drive motor for driving said at least one transfer unit in the first direction and at least one second drive motor for driving said at least one transfer unit in the second direction along said grid guide track structure. 
     
     
       17. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  including a remotely readable identification tag associated with said at least one transfer unit and a central controller for monitoring movement of said at least one transfer unit within said grid guide track system. 
     
     
       18. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 1  wherein said hoist means is mounted to a platform that is movably mounted to said at least one transfer unit whereby a position of a container relative to said at least one transfer unit may be changed. 
     
     
       19. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 18  wherein said platform is movably mounted to said at least one transfer unit by a revolvable trunnion. 
     
     
       20. The port material handling and storage system of  claim 18  wherein said platform is movably mounted to said at least one transfer unit by an X-Y extension system. 
     
     
       21. A method for handling conventional shipping containers in a port relative to a ship, a ground based storage area and at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station, the method including the steps of:
 A. Providing an elevated and interconnected grid guide track structure, so as to have a first portion that extends above the ground based storage area, a second portion that extends above the at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station, and a third portion that extends above a berth area in which the ship is docked, wherein the grid guide track structure includes hollow beams connected together in an X-Y configuration so as to form a plurality of first spaced parallel tracks extending in a first direction and a plurality of second spaced parallel tracks that extend in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the first direction; 
 B. Maneuvering at least one transfer unit along the grid guide track structure between the first, second and third portions thereof on pairs of the first parallel tracks and pairs of the second parallel tracks in an X-Y direction with respect to a horizontal plane; 
 C. Elevating a shipping container from one of the ship, a ground based storage area and the at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station using the at least one transfer unit so that the shipping container is suspended relative to the grid guide track structure; 
 D. Conveying the shipping container along the grid guide track structure using the at least one transfer unit to a position above another of the ship, the ground based storage area and the at least one ground transport shipping area; and 
 E. Lowering the shipping container into either the ship, a container stacking area of the ground based storage area or onto a transport vehicle in the at least one ground transport shipping area. 
 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 21  including the additional steps of:
 Providing a shipping container scanning device; 
 Conveying the shipping container carried by the at least one transfer unit to the shipping container scanner device; and 
 Scanning the at least one shipping container to determine the contents thereof. 
 
     
     
       23. A method for handling conventional shipping containers in a port relative to a ship, a ground based storage area and at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station, the method including the steps of:
 A. Providing an elevated grid guide track structure having a first portion above the ground based storage area, a second portion above the at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station and a third portion above a ship berthing area wherein the grid guide track structure includes hollow beams connected together in an X-Y configuration so as to form a plurality of first spaced parallel tracks extending in a first direction and a plurality of second spaced parallel tracks that extend in a second direction that is generally perpendicular to the first direction; 
 B. Providing a shipping container transfer area intermediate the first and second portions of the grid guide track structure and the third portion thereof; 
 C. Maneuvering at least one first transfer unit along pairs of the first parallel tracks and pairs of the second parallel tracks of the first and second portions of the grid track structure in an X-Y direction with respect to a horizontal plane; 
 D. Maneuvering at least one second transfer unit along pairs of the first parallel tracks and pairs of the second parallel tracks of the third portion of the grid track structure in an X-Y direction with respect to a horizontal plane; 
 E. Elevating a shipping container from one of the ship, a ground based storage area and the at least one ground transport shipping and receiving station using the at least one first and second transfer units and such that the shipping container is suspended relative to the grid guide track structure; 
 E. Conveying the shipping container to or from the third portion of the grid guide track structure from at least one of the first and second portions of the grid guide track structure using the at least one first and second transfer units to a position above another of the ship, the ground based storage area and the at least one ground transport shipping area by lowering and raising the shipping container to and from the transfer area using the at least one first transfer unit and the at least one second transfer unit; and 
 F. Lowering the shipping container onto either the ship, a container stacking area of the ground based storage area or onto a transport vehicle in the at least one ground transport shipping area. 
 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23  including the additional steps of:
 Providing a shipping container scanning device; 
 Conveying the shipping container carried by the at least one first or second transfer unit to the shipping container scanner device; and 
 Scanning the at least one shipping container to determine the contents thereof.